Rare-Earth Miners Jump as China Hits Pause on New Export Curbs

With input from Bloomberg, CNBC, and Reuters.

Rare-earth stocks took off in premarket trading after Beijing agreed to delay fresh export controls for a year following President Donald Trump’s meeting with China’s Xi Jinping.

Critical Metals rallied about 7% before the bell, USA Rare Earth gained roughly 5%, Energy Fuels added 3%, and both MP Materials and NioCorp were up around 2%.

Trump declared the “rare earth issue” essentially settled after the sit-down, while China’s Commerce Ministry said the additional curbs announced this month will be paused for 12 months. The catch: earlier restrictions from April still stand, keeping some pressure on supply chains.

Why it matters: rare earths — 17 elements with unique magnetic and conductive properties — are the unseen guts of modern tech, from smartphones and EV motors to wind turbines and missile guidance. China dominates the pipeline, producing roughly 70% of global supply and processing close to 90%, which is why any policy wobble in Beijing ripples straight through to miners and manufacturers worldwide.

For now, the truce gives US-listed producers a tailwind and buys time for buyers scrambling to secure materials. Whether the pause becomes a longer-term thaw — or just a tactical timeout — will determine if this rally has legs.